The Cities and Famous Places of Taladoun
Taladoun is a vast world and there are a number of cities and other kinds of famous places, including ruins from the past, dangerous dungeons and labyrinths and even more to be explored. The cities range from the magically created structures of the Elf races to the mined and crafted walls of the Dwarf mountain citadels, down to the tent cities in the Sumara Desert that the Orc tribes and clans set up and tear down as the travel around the burning sands. Cities Vul'Maara is the one great city in the Sumara Desert. In a region where most of the people live on the move, Vul'Maara is a nest of merchants, trades folk and fast-talking business owners. The sandy city is protected by three giant walls that form rings and each of the walls divides the city by it's function. The Outer Ring is filled to the brim with side-by-side houses, some going as tall as three stories and holding multiple families within them. The Northern part of the wall has a bit more space in it and houses the more wealthy members of the city while the Southern section is more of a "slum" area. The East and West entrances to the city give way to some merchant stalls where the smaller businesses make their living by selling to those passing through or simply coming and going for their own daily business. The Mid Ring houses the bigger businesses and craftsmen shops. Blacksmiths, smelters, leather workers and tailors are all make their money here, calling out for their wares to those who pass by. The Inner Ring is home to the Palace where the Regent lives, along with the city's main source of income; The Coliseum. The fighting arena is a main source of income and even a source of justice for the city. Criminals of the city who are convicted of their crimes often are forced to fight in the arena, the severity of their crime determining the severity of the fight. Smaller crimes can be fought merely until someone has yielded while severe crimes (murder, for instance) can result in a criminal fighting to their death. Furthermore, warriors can volunteer to fight in the arena for both money and fame, should they survive/succeed in their fights. The Great Wall - When the Ice Queen Lissandra attacked the Fields of Glory centuries ago during the Demon Wars, she nearly overran all of the inhabitants of the region with her army of demons, frost giants, ice trolls and other monsters. After the Archons and mortal races of the world fought back against the Demon LOrds and their minions, the survivors that inhabited the Fields of Glory realized they needed to be ready for another attack, should Lissandra ever rise in power again from her Glacial Tower in the Frozen Tooth. To this end, the Great Wall was built, the children of the Builders settling there afterward to man the wall as a militant force. It's said the great structure's highest reaches are so tall that one can even see the top of the Crown of the World from the peaks. ON the eastern side of the wall, a great city has cropped up, dotted by blacksmiths, garrisons and merchant stores that act as storehouses for the traveling merchants of the Fields who call the Great Wall their home. The town itself is unnamed, most people merely considering it an extension of the Wall itself. Throughout the years, the Great Wall has been lead by a man or woman who rises through the military ranks to become known as the Commander. The current Commander is one Lord Derrick Crone, a Human with a reputation of being a great warrior. The story goes that Lord Crone earned his rank as Commander by defeating an Ice Giant in single combat. The great maul that he uses as a weapon is said to be fashions from the femur bone of that giant, giving his reputation a furtherly grisly edge. The men and women he leads are known as the Snow Sentinels, nicknamed Snowfolk by many. They are something of a surly lot, seeing that many do not reach old age due to their profession, though they are extremely loyal and honorable, for the most part. Their ranks consist of Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Dragonborn, some Gnomes and the rare Halfling. Some of the other cities/regions even send their lesser criminals to man the Great Wall as a means of punishment for their crimes, though these Snowfolk typically last the shortest amount of time, either due to desertation or simple careless deaths. The Great Wall is said to be the only town in the Fields of Glory that does not owe tribute to one of the three warring entites, mostly because the clans leave the Wall to it's business of defending against the Frozen Tooth. However, those of a shadier nature believe that Lissandra's Death Frost Cult has a hideout in the Wall, though it has never been publically confirmed. There is a smattering of different religions present on the Great Wall. Baur, God of the Orcs has a strong presence due to the number of Orc residents, not to mention the simple fact that Baur is considered a battle-encouraging God and the Wall sees regular combat. Arcus, God of the Archons has a shrine in the base of the wall as many of the Snowfolk consider him the Savior of the Fields in general. Both Lacenne and Korum have a following, giving the amount of Elf and Dwarf residents, respectively. Naturally, there is a shrine to both Arienne and Saul as well, which is common in most cities in Taladoun.